The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
In Capernaum and Nazareth
- Chapter 129 -
The awakened one's experiences in the hereafter. Her appropriate question about like. The Lord's answer. A Roman stranger's good testimony to the Lord. The Lord's special instruction. About free will.
Says the daughter, 'Yes, yes, now I remember clearly that I was very sick; but a very sweet slumber came over my eyes; I fell asleep and had a most wonderful dream. Wherever I turned, there was light and nothing but light and a most beautiful world shaped itself out of the light. Indescribably beautiful gardens, streamed by the light, became visible and one splendour after another came into view. But no living being seemed to inhabit this splendour and as I beheld these splendours with astonishment, without a living being showing up, my heart started sinking. Amidst these splendours I began to cry and yell out, but not even the faintest echo wanted to answer me from any direction, and I became sadder and sadder amid the mounting splendour.
2
And as I sank down in sadness, starting to loudly call out for you, my father, behold, this friend here suddenly came from the gardens, grasped my hand and spoke, "Get up, my daughter", suddenly all the splendours which had made me sad vanished and I awoke, even whilst this friend still held me by the hand. I could not immediately remember all that I had seen; but when consciousness was given back to me, as if from the heavens, I recalled everything that I had seen and experienced in the dream, just as I related it to you.
3
What amazes me however is that although I have to conclude from this bed that I was actually dead to the world, I nevertheless continued to live in my dream! And still more amazing is it that this glorious friend who came to me in my dream now is present exactly as I saw him in the dream.
4
But now I ask you, my dear father, whether perhaps this my life that he gave me anew belongs to him? My heart is deeply moved and it seems to me that I could not ever give my love to any man other than him. May I love him above all, - more than you, my father and more than everything in the world?'
5
This question embarrasses Cornelius and he can't find an answer. But I say to him, 'Leave the daughter to feel the way she does now, because only this shall give her the fullness of life'.
6
Says Cornelius, 'If so, then indeed love this Friend above everything! He Who could give you life from His strength and power when you were dead, shall never be capable of harming you; because if you were to die again, He would be certain to give you life again. May you therefore love him above everything, as I also love Him with all my strength.'
7
Say I, 'He who loves Me loves also Him Who is in Me and this One is life eternal. If he were to die with love for Me even a thousand times, yet he shall live eternally.' - Many who hear this say within themselves: 'How, what is this?! Can a man also say that? But, can a human being do what he did?'
8
Says one Roman who was staying with Cornelius as a guest; 'Friends, a wise man once said that there isn't a great man whom the gods have not filled with their breath. But if ever a man had been most strongly breathed upon by the gods, it is this Jesus, who, at least terrestrially, appears to have been of very low birth; but the gods do not love the pomp of the world; whenever they walk the earth they always hide within a most inconsequent exterior and let mortals in on who and what they are only through their deeds. And this will probably be the case with this most plain man. You all can opine and think, but I take him for a god of the first order. Because no mortal reawakens the dead!
9
Wherever a son of Esculop nevertheless had reawakened one seemingly dead, with all types of balm, oils and ointments, such a purported re-awakened one never was vigorous and sound like Cornelia, who appears to be more vigorous now than ever before. That is my opinion and conviction and you may all think what you like.'
10
Say I, 'He who is right also believes that it is right so. I tell you this and ask all those who have heard and seen this to be so good as to remain silent about it for now and not tell anyone; for you know how wicked the world is!' They all promise to strictly keep it to themselves.
11
They indeed kept quiet during the two days of My stay with My disciples at the chief's. But as soon as I departed, this thing became known all over Galilee (Matt. 9:26). I verily could have prevented this, had I bound man's free will, which would have been the easiest thing for Me to do; but since I have to respect man's free will, without which man would turn into an animal, I had to of course put up with it, in spite of it not being within the proper order and of no use to the cause.